Creamy Rich Macadamia Cream Cheese

…and the star of this cheese board was this Creamy Rich Macadamia Cream Cheese.

Also known as my new favorite base recipe for cream cheese. Since the first cheese board over the holidays, this recipe has become a standard in our kitchen. I have made this as is several times, and I have mixed it up by mixing in herbs and other flavors…

Maybe stay tuned for some of those.

Fermenty cultured goodness:

I recently started baking bagels again too.

Back in my Saks Fifth Avenue days, I baked bagels every week. My lucky office staff most often benefitted from my early morning baking – I’d show up in the morning with a basket of warm bagels.

I can safely say, this cream cheese is perrrrrrrfect for a toasty warm bagel fresh out of the oven.

When you are having a Happy Hour at Home or a quick snack with friends before heading out for a fun night out, a quick snacky cheese board can be super easy to assemble.

These are items we always have in our kitchen:

I have had a fantastic book in my kitchen library for a while now – and am finally and excitedly sharing this cream cheese, one of my favorite recipes from the book.

The book is The Cultured Cook – Delicious Fermented Foods with Probiotics to Knock Out Inflammation, Boost Gut Health, Lose Weight & Extend Your Life.

This book is full of vegan and gluten free recipes for snacks and meals. The first recipe I tried? Cultured Vanilla Ice Cream. Uh huh. Seriously amazing and different and cool. Literally and figuratively.

My new favorite thing you might be hearing more about soon? Pineapple Vinegar. This stuff is amazing, and is an easy, approachable recipe. Have your pineapple (vinegar) and eat it too.

The Rejuvelac recipe in this book is great, as is the Cultured Coconut Cream.

There are several cheesecakes, ice creams, and an incredible icing! Two fruit chutneys and a Cultured Bloody Mary.

We have had a good deal of fun with this book already, and there are still so many dog eared pages and fun recipes to try!

about the book:

Fermentation has been used for thousands of years as a way to preserve foods, and modern research has now confirmed the health benefits of this process, which ranges from the improvement of various intestinal inflammatory conditions, to building a stronger immune system. According to Kirsten Tillisch, MD, chief of integrative medicine at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, the microbes in the gut can determine whether or not we will develop other conditions that extend outside the gut, including “obesity, cancer, anxiety, and depression.” In fact, research shows that some fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut may even help in the fight against superbugs — those virulent strains of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that have become stronger and are now resistant to most of our medicines — when our best antibiotics fail!

from the book:

If you just have to spread cream cheese on bagels or toast, you’ll love this dairy free, fermented version that has all the flavor and loads of probiotics to give your health a boost. This delicious and creamy dairy free cream cheese has a delicate macadamia nut flavor. Unlike dairy based cream cheeses, this cheese is packed with health promoting beneficial bacteria. It’s simple to make but does need about twelve hours to culture and a couple of hours to set.

*spabettie note: we have successfully made this recipe several times without using oil – sometimes a small amount of additional water is needed.

In a glass or ceramic bowl, combine the macadamia nuts, cashews, 1/2 cup water, and the probiotic capsule (discarding the empty capsule shell) or probiotic powder; stir until mixed, and cover.

In a separate bowl, mix the dates with remaining 3 tablespoons of water, and cover. Allow both to sit overnight for twelve hours.

In a blender, combine both mixtures, and the salt, and blend until smooth. Add the coconut oil and continue blending. You may need to push the ingredients down with a spatula a few times to ensure a creamy, smooth consistency.

Pour into a cheesecloth lined dish or mold. Refrigerate for one to two hours, or until it is set. Store in refrigerator, covered, for up to one month.

That cream cheese bagel, though.

this creamy rich Macadamia Cream Cheese recipe is shared with permission from The Cultured Cook by Michelle Schoffro Cook. Dr. Cook is a certified herbalist and a board-certified doctor of natural medicine, holding advanced degrees in health, nutrition, orthomolecular nutrition, and acupuncture.

*spabettie note: we have successfully made this recipe several times without using oil - sometimes a small amount of additional water is needed.

In a glass or ceramic bowl, combine the macadamia nuts, cashews, ½ cup water, and the probiotic capsule (discarding the empty capsule shell) or probiotic powder; stir until mixed, and cover.

In a separate bowl, mix the dates with remaining 3 tablespoons of water, and cover. Allow both to sit overnight for twelve hours.

In a blender, combine both mixtures, and the salt, and blend until smooth. Add the coconut oil and continue blending. You may need to push the ingredients down with a spatula a few times to ensure a creamy, smooth consistency.

Pour into a cheesecloth lined dish or mold. Refrigerate for one to two hours, or until it is set. Store in refrigerator, covered, for up to one month.

a roasted nut will likely bring a different flavor – I have not tried it but I don’t imagine it would be a negative? maybe try a small half recipe at first, to test for taste? (this is a pretty mild flavored cheese, a roasted nut will definitely bring a stronger flavor, I imagine.) let us know how it goes!

I used the roasted, unsalted macadamias, which I think was fine. I’m not fond of the dates though. I feel that they are too prominent in the taste and color…definitely doesn’t have that beautiful white look as in your pictures. It is also not quite as thick as I would like. I’ll try again with raw macadamias and leave out the dates to see if I like that result more. Thanks!

maybe a little sweet? to me, it wasn’t really sweet (and I am not an overly sweet fan, at all). someone else commented that they’ve made it and didn’t like the sweet from the dates, so I suppose different palates will react differently. I just thought it was … less tangy? I have definitely taken this base recipe and added savory herbs / etcetera, and it was good!

hi Mimi – I am inclined to think yes, you should be able to use only macadamia? I feel like a macadamia is a slightly softer nut than cashew – so the consistency of the cheese may be softer? perhaps reduce the amount of liquid by a tablespoon or two?

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Hello and Welcome! I am Kristina Sloggett - voracious reader, chickpea eater. also known as spabettie.

I love the FOOMP and CRACKLE of vintage flash bulbs. Portland, karaoke, and dachshunds and VIBRANT PLANT BASED FOOD.

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